An overlanding vehicle can be as basic as a Toyota 4Runner with no modifications and an external-frame pack strapped to the roof racks. Or they can be fully decked-out expedition vehicles capable of driving around the world.
When it comes to overlanding, the type of vehicle you choose will largely depend on your budget and how far you want to explore. Generally speaking, there are three types of overland travel: short-term overland tours (weekend trips), long-term or expedition-style traveling (months or years at a time), and everything in between.
So, What Is The Best Overlanding Vehicle and Where Can It Go?
The following overview is meant to help guide you in making your car purchase for future expeditions.
Short-Term Overland Vehicle Tours- Weekend Trips
If youâre planning to take shorter trips, then the best car for this purpose would be something that can accommodate 2-3 people comfortably. Also have good storage space and good fuel economy. âBestâ also means your vehicle needs to look presentable even after being put through the wringer.
If youâre traveling up north or to colder climates, then your overland vehicle will need to handle snowy roads.
Some common cars that might work for this purpose: Honda CRV, Ford Escape/Kuga, Toyota Rav4, etc.
Long-Term Overland Vehicle Travel â Expedition-Style Trips
If you plan on taking longer trips â 3 months or more â then an entirely different set of criteria comes into play. Because now youâll have much greater distances to cover and challenging terrain conditions.
For instance, if you plan on crossing the deserts of Africa, itâs best if your car doesnât break down. So hereâs what we would recommend:
Large off-road capable vehicles such as the Toyota Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol, Isuzu Dmax, etc. These vehicles are designed to handle the most challenging terrain and conditions imaginable. They have powerful engines and large fuel tanks so you can cover long distances between fill-ups or when having to go cross country.
These types of vehicles come at a cost, however â both literally and figuratively speaking. One important thing to remember is that these overlanding cars are not known for their fuel economy. But on the other hand, if youâre out exploring new frontiers every day, then who cares about fuel economy anyway?
Another factor to consider, especially if you plan to travel abroad, is that these overlanding vehicles are not always the most economical to buy or maintain. Depending on where youâre going, they can be a real pain to keep fueled up and running smoothly.
And if they do break down in remote areas, then youâre out of luck. Proper spare parts can sometimes be challenging to get your hands on (or, god forbid, impossible).
Long-Term Overland Travel â Everything In Between
If your plans involve taking shorter tours â 1 week or less â then an ideal vehicle would be an SUV. These midsized SUVs offer plenty of storage space while at the same time giving you good fuel economy without breaking your budget.
It would be best to consider buying used cars since there is no sense in purchasing a completely new vehicle for a short trip. That is unless youâre loaded with cash and donât mind getting ripped off.
A good midsized SUV for this purpose is the Ford Escape, Honda CRV, or Nissan X-Trail. All three SUVs are covered by long-term 4Ă4 insurance policies and have large fuel tanks and plenty of storage space.
However, to keep in mind, most midsized SUVs arenât great off-road because they lack ground clearance and 4WD capability. If you want to take your car on more strenuous trails, we recommend checking out compact crossovers such as the Toyota C-HR, Peugeot 2008, or Kia Sportage.
Another good overlanding choice is the Subaru Forester, a lifted version of the popular Impreza hatchback. These vehicles are reliable and have all-wheel drive, but they may be hard to find new.
What About Minivans?
We wouldnât recommend buying one of these if you want an overlanding vehicle because:
- They arenât known for great fuel economy.
- You canât sleep in them.
- The windows donât roll down.
- There isnât enough space inside.
- They are not designed for off-road use.
- Why would anyone want to go on an expedition using a minivan?
That being said, some people have turned them into overlanding vehicles by modifying the back with a roof rack and a tent. But if you only want to make a minor modification or two, we would suggest buying a large SUV instead of going down this route.
Fuel Economy and Maintenance
If youâre going on a long trip â 3 months or more â fuel economy becomes very important. This is because it costs money to carry jerrycans all over the place, not to mention camping gear and other things that can take up space in your car.
When spending your hard-earned cash, always remember that âbuying newâ is basically like throwing money out of your window. Paying for the newest technology is not always the best idea either, since you might end up with an unreliable car thatâs loaded with features youâll never use.
If youâre buying used cars, get something with a large fuel tank (60L +). This will give you peace of mind, especially if your route takes you off the road or away from civilization for extended periods.
An important thing to consider when purchasing a used overlanding vehicle is whether or not it has any mechanical faults. Not only can these faults cost money if not caught before purchase, but they could also leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere without warning.
When it comes to making modifications, you should always try to do as little as possible. Itâs important not to cut corners and spend money making your car reliable since you need it to bring you back home safe and sound.
No matter what modifications you decide to do first, remember that the most important part will always be a decent 4Ă4 insurance policy. This is because if something goes wrong, then the chances are that youâll have damage/theft insurance at the very least.
And if this fails, you can go down the route of taking out a high-risk auto loan for your vehicle, but trust us, these loans arenât easy to get even if your car has been modified.
Best Overland Vehicle Suggestions
Here are some of the best overland vehicles you can get when not thinking about the overland travel types mentioned above
Land Rover Defender
With the comfortable interior of a car, the fortitude of an offroader, and the ability to carry up to 7 passengers â no other vehicle can match what this legendary truck brings. Itâs also competent when taking it off-road.
If you are looking for a good overlanding car, then look no further than this box on wheels (with wings). The only downside is that it has been discontinued, and getting spare parts will be tough in some areas.
Toyota Hilux 4Ă4 / TRD Tundra TRD Pro
This is probably one of the most popular cars in our community, and we can understand why because of its reliability, capabilities (especially as an overlander), aftermarket support, and price point. You can find a used Hilux within and around the $10,000 range, affordable for many overlanders.
Many custom shops offer accessories and parts to mod your car to go further or make it look like a Baja trophy truck! One downside is that the interior (seats, storage areas) isnât as capable as other cars such as Land Rovers, but you can still comfortably fit enough camping equipment to spend time up north.
Ford F-250 Super Duty
This version of Fordâs famous F-Series has everything: a strong engine, large cargo space (up to 7 feet), high GCWR, and great options and aftermarket support. If you consider that this car is also made to work as a daily driver and you can find one within the $25,000 range â this car seems like a steal.
Many videos on Youtube show how capable the F-250 is in the dirt, mud, or sands.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (JK chassis)
This iconic offroad machine costs less than most other SUVs / Crossovers, and itâs tough. Sure, we all complain about its soft top and lack of storage space inside, but anything can be done with some creativity and aftermarket parts.
A proper roof rack or cargo carrier for your gear? No problem! Extra battery box to keep accessories charged while driving? Just bolt it on! Although not having a proper metal roof and a larger cargo area is a disadvantage in some ways when it comes to overlanding, this car can take you wherever you want to go.
Toyota 4Runner (previous generation) â My Favorite Overlanding Vehicle
The V8 engineâs legendary reliability and good looks combined with high GCWR and dual-range transmissions make this car truly unstoppable.
The main negative point about the previous generation 4Runner was the interior which was not as comfortable or quiet as other cars on this list. But we hope that the new 4Runner will be even better in these areas. Although air suspension isnât available in the US models, we would like to see it soon.
Nissan Patrol Y61 / First-gen Land Cruiser Prado Overlanding Vehicle
We really canât decide between these two. Both have excellent build quality, legendary reliability, aftermarket support, and they are capable offroad. Land Cruiser Prado is more popular in the US / Australia because of its cheaper price tag, but it also has a smaller cargo area, limiting your gear capacity if you go camping for a few days.
Patrol Y61, on the other hand, is bigger, and it costs quite a lot more than Prado, but there is no doubt that itâs much better as an overlander (victory in our eyes).
Mercedes-Benz G-Class Wagon Overlanding Vehicle
Although not having 4Ă4 capability, this beast costs so much money that only some oil or tech moguls can afford one. However, if you are looking for a unique overlander, this is the best choice. It has a luxury interior, excellent build quality, a new turbo engine, and some aftermarket support. What else do you need? Oh wait, it looks good too!
Even though we think that these are the best choices for an overlanding car â they arenât perfect, of course. Sure some vehicles have more power or better off-road capabilities, but all of them cost a lot more than other options, which brings us back to our initial question:
What Overlanding Vehicle Has Everything Without Having You Going Broke?
The truth is that there isnât much out there that can provide high clearance / 4Ă4, comfortable interior, truck-like exterior, and reliability, but if you follow our advice, you will be able to choose right in the end. Happy driving!
